We're taking a closer look at hatred this morning. Hate crimes have been on the rise in the U.S. In 2017, we saw a 57 percent increase in anti-Semitic violence than the year before. And one of five of those incidents was based on religious bias.
Let's talk about the difference between anger and hate. Anger is an instinctive emotional reaction to something that has harmed or hurt you like an insult, a physical attack, someone has wronged you. Anger is temporary feeling. Hate is also an emotion, but it's long seated anger that doesn't subside. You chose not to let go of the anger.
In recent days, there were two recent attacks. One that happened in multiple locations across the U.S. with the packaged bombs sent to many political officials and one in Pittsburgh that ended in 11 deaths at a Synagogue. Both of these instances had a big social media presence. Bot suspects were very local about their hatred on the internet in chats and in forum on social media. Through social media it's easier to find receptive, like-minded people. You can reach millions of people across the global instantly.
As parents, you want to protect your kids from the evilness in the world. There's too much hatred filled violence that's happening to not talk to your kids about hatred. Yes, discussions have to be developmentally appropriate. This means that you talk in simple terms with limited detail. You might say something like, "It makes me sad that people will hurt or kill other people because of the color of their skin or because of who they love or what they believe." Then talk to your kids about what matters most about people - their charcter.
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